Oiltanking GmbH has commissioned its new storage terminal in Matola, Mozambique. In parallel, Oiltanking will expand its investment in the ports of Matola and Beira by increasing its ownership share in Oiltanking Mozambique. Through this transaction, Oiltanking has increased its direct stake from 60% to 80%.
The terminal in Matola received its first vessel on November 26. The facility’s initial storage capacity will be 58,600 cbm, with land available for further development. It has access to a jetty with a draft of 11.5 meters. In addition, the terminal is equipped with rail- and truck-loading facilities to serve southern Mozambique and neighboring countries including Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and the northern provinces of South Africa.
“Mozambique is one of the main transit hubs for petroleum products on Africa’s east coast,” says Lo Vanhaelen, managing director Oiltanking Matola. “The recent transaction and the other projects will further strengthen Oiltanking’s presence in Africa and enhance our ability to serve new market segments on the east coast of the continent.”
On the land available for further expansion in Matola, Oiltanking is planning to build a large scale pressurized LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) terminal of up to 33,000 cbm, as well as adding another 70,000 cbm of liquid storage.
An additional terminal is planned by Oiltanking in Beira, located centrally along the Mozambican coast. The terminal, which is currently at the development stage, will facilitate gas and petroleum product imports into the central part of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
